Get the scoop from the 2015 Phillies Ballgirls as they share their experiences

March 2008

A few weeks ago the Phillies ballgirls ran a softball clinic for girls ages 9?12 in the Newtown Square Petticoat League. The clinic gave the ballgirls a chance to hangout with some of their biggest phans, and the girls a chance to get some expert advice on every aspect of their softball game? and be entertained in the process!

Most of the ballgirls remember attending softball clinics when they were little leaguers. For Debbie, who ran and organized the clinic, the event brought back a lot of memories.

?I went to plenty of softball clinics. Pitching, hitting, overnight camps?I attended them all! Professional and college athletes ran the clinics, and at the end of the day I learned some new drills and straightened out my swing, but I never really appreciated the experience.

?Maybe it was the blazing summer heat, or the fact that you can only hear, ?keep your glove down,? so many times, but watching how much these girls improved in a small amount of time made me realize that those clinics got me where I am today. Having the opportunity to help some potential star athletes (or even a Phillies Ballgirl) was so gratifying!?

Sam also remembers attending clinics as a rookie years ago, and was excited to share some of what she learned with the clinic attendees.

?I really enjoyed seeing how much the girls improved from start to finish. I also had fun hanging out with the girls discussing how much we had in common?we all like High School Musical, Hannah Montana, and the Suite Life of Zach and Cody! I hope we were able to teach the girls some valuable softball skills?and keep them entertained in the process!?

For teachers Lindsay and Lauren, running stations at the softball clinic provided them with yet another opportunity to mold young minds.

As Lindsay said, ?Being a Ballgirl, we are already given so many opportunities to inspire young girls. Hosting a softball clinic was a chance to demonstrate our passion for the game and our dedication to being positive role models for young athletes. With every Ballgirl having their own area of expertise, the young players were exposed to some areas of the game they may have never been taught before. A bunting station and dry swing station were probably most unfamiliar for the girls, but proved to be a ?hit.??

Lauren agreed, saying, ?The softball clinic was a great opportunity for us to be role models for young athletes in our community. My favorite part of the experience was realizing how special this probably was to all the girls. When I was twelve, I was such a huge Phillies fan I would have been so excited to play softball with the Phillies Ballgirls! I hope the girls all learned something new and had as good a time with us as we did with them!?

Veteran ballgirl Teresa was overwhelmed by the talent and skill the clinic goers demonstrated.

?We got to hang out with an impressive group of girls. It was rewarding to see such an avid interest in softball; it was even more fulfilling to harbor that interest in such young girls. Of course the talent level was far beyond our expectations; some of the girls themselves could have taught me a few things! Playing softball from such a young age played the chief role in getting me to where I am today. Recruited to play varsity softball at a Division I university, my college education was a direct product of the hard work that I put into softball. That’s why it’s important for girls to know, even at a young age, that such opportunities are available to them.?

Overall the clinic was a fun and rewarding experience. Hopefully we?ll have a chance to run another softball clinic soon! Until then, Sam will just have to get her Hannah Montana gossip online.

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